Portal Policies

Accessibility Policy

1.0 TITLE: State of Kansas Web Accessibility Requirements

1.1 EFFECTIVE DATE: October 26, 2000

1.1.1 REVISED: October 26, 2006

1.1.2 REVISED: April 23, 2009

1.2 TYPE OF ACTION: Update

2.0 PURPOSE: To establish a State of Kansas policy regarding accessibility requirements for all State of Kansas internet, intranet, and extranet websites, web services, and web applications, including those that are developed internally, developed via contract, provided by third parties on behalf of state Entities, or purchased products.

3.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED: All branches, boards, commissions, divisions, departments and agencies of the state, herein referred to as Entities.

4.6 K.S.A. 2007 Supp. 75-7203 authorizes the Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC) to: Adopt information resource policies and procedures and provide direction and coordination for the application of the state's information technology resources for all state entities.

5.0 DEFINITIONS:

5.1 World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): An international consortium of private and public organizations whose purpose is to develop vendor-neutral, open standards for the World Wide Web.

5.2 Section 508: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d), an act requiring Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.

5.3 Web Developer: Any individual responsible for the design, development, and/or maintenance of state websites, web services, or web applications.

5.4 Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): W3C group that works with organizations around the world to develop strategies, guidelines, and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.

5.5 Kansas Partnership for Accessible Technology (KPAT): A standing advisory committee to the ITEC and other committees, boards and commissions, established by Executive Order 2008-12 to address web and information technology accessibility issues.

5.6 Financial or Administrative Undue Burden: A significant difficulty or expense. In determining whether an action would result in a financial or administrative undue burden, an entity shall consider all entity resources available for use in the funding and operation of the program or component for which the web site, web application, or web service is being developed, procured, maintained, or used. Also see K.S.A. §58-1301b and 28 CFR § 35.164.

5.7 Best Practices: Refers to those practices that are compliant with the procedures outlined in Section 7.0 and have been demonstrated as most efficient and effective in implementing websites, web services, and web applications.

6.0 POLICY:

6.1 All Entity websites, web services, and web applications shall be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities in accordance with federal and state law.

7.3 State Entities are prohibited from deploying web pages, web services, and web applications that do not comply with this policy.

7.4 In cases where a webpage, web service, or web application cannot be made compliant as required in Section 7.1 without an undue burden, an exception may be requested for review by the State ADA Coordinator and the Director of Statewide Web/IT Accessibility. The procedure for obtaining an undue burden exception is as follows:

7.4.1 The request for an exception shall be in writing, shall state the reason(s) that compliance will create a financial or administrative undue burden, and shall be submitted to the State ADA Coordinator. Such requests must receive approval by the State ADA Coordinator prior to deployment.

7.4.2 Entities shall describe in detail the challenges faced in making the webpage, web service, or web application accessible, including an estimate of hard and soft costs that would be incurred in doing so.

7.4.3 Entities shall describe their short-term and long-term solutions for making the webpage, web service, or web application accessible.

7.4.4 Entities shall submit a timeline in which the webpage, web service, or web application will be made accessible, and provide progress updates as requested by the KPAT.

7.5 Unresolved issues or complaints regarding the accessibility of Entity websites, web services or web applications should be brought to the attention of the KPAT.

8.0 RESPONSIBILITIES:

8.1 Heads of entities are responsible to establish procedures for their organizations to comply with the requirements of this policy.

8.2 The KPAT will review this policy annually, to insure both its applicability and compliance with emerging regulations and standards.